Japanese New Year’s Day ～our New Year’s traditions～

This year will end soon, and New Year will come. Do you know there is a deep meaning that had been conveyed from old days in our New Year’s day？Japanese New Year is also an event to realize the important existence of Toshigami (Shinto God). Now, let me show you Japanese New Year’s tradition. Let’s check it out !

Write New Year cards

We Japanese write New Year cards to our intimate friends, acquaintances, and people who are helpful to us for the New Year’s greetings. We should write until Dec 25 so that New Year cards will arrive on New Year’s Day.

Eat Toshikoshi Soba

We eat soba on New Year’s Eve so that we will be able to cut off disasters of the year. It is called “ Toshikoshi Soba “. It is said to be the best timing to eat listening to Bells on the night of New Year’s Eve.

Listen to Bells on New Year’s Eve

Listening to Bells on New Year’s Eve is one of the ways to see the old year out. It’s also good to hear on TV. The number of times to strike bells is 108. It is said that this is the number of our earthly desires.

Eat zouni

We eat zouni on New Year’s Day in order to get the benefit of the rice cake that was served to Toshigami. The kind of zouni differs from the region. You will enjoy many varieties of zouni depending on each areas.

Give an Otoshidama (New Year’s allowance)

Otoshidama is a money of celebration on New Year’s Day. It is said that Otoshidama was originally not “ money “ but “ rice cake “. It’s because Kagami mochi was thought to be an object of worship, and to be a lucky goods.

Dispose the New Year’s decorations

It is generally on Jan 7 that the New Year’s decorations are cleaned up. It’s on the same day as Nanakusagayu. There is a custom called “ dondo-yaki “ that we bring the removed New Year decorations to the shrine for burning. I think it best to burn them with clean fire because they play an important role.

Kagamibiraki (cut the New Year rice cake)

The New Year’s decoration, Kagamimochi is prepared to welcome Toshigami, and we remove and strike it with a mallet to eat. We call it “ Kagamibiraki “. Kagamibiraki is generally held on Jan 11, though there are differences depending on the area.